10 Handy Smartphone Apps for Drivers

Speed traps. Wonky speedometers. That horrible feeling of fueling up and then seeing gas 10 cents cheaper just down the road. Our favorite drivers' apps will take advantage of your smartphone's nifty features and constant connectivity to help you avoid the little annoyances of the road.

iGasUp ($0.99)

iGasUp ($0.99)

Why You Need It: To Find Cheap Gas

Most gasoline retailers have apps that locate their branded stores, which are handy if you use their credit cards. But for drivers who simply want the cheapest gas—and want to avoid the unpleasant surprise of fueling up and then spotting cheaper gas a mile down the road—there's the iPhone app iGasUp. It displays the 10 nearest fuel stations and their prices, derived from the same pricing service that supplies the AAA and satellite companies.

Originally introduced in 2008, the iGasUp app just recently dropped its price from $2.99 to $0.99 and says it plans to add fuel-station amenities such as carwashes to its listings. The iGasUp folks claim that 110,000 fuel stations are included in its database, which is nearly every station in operation in the U.S.

My Max Speed 2.0 ($4.99)

My Max Speed 2.0 ($4.99)

Why You Need It: To Track Your Kid's Driving (or Argue Your Way Out of a Ticket)

Using the accelerometer in an Android phone, My Max Speed 2.0 logs speed and location every 5 seconds and makes the data available for exporting to a spreadsheet. The app is intended to be used two ways: to monitor a teen's driving habits and to provide an accurate record with which to argue against speeding tickets. It can also provide a location history or send a message if the phone carrying the app travels outside a preset location perimeter.